Friday, May 28, 2010

Traveling further down the path, they come across a dog fighting with a large black bird. They could have helped either side, subsequently acquiring the assistance of the creature that they helped... they helped the dog. My daughter named the dog, "Brownie".

After that battle (with my daughter's MU taking 2 points of damage), they came across a young gypsy girl at her campsite. The youth sold the adventurers a lesser healing potion (1d4+1 healed per dosage). They rested at the campsite (for a little healing) and headed out again.

They had to cross a wide stream. My daughter needed a little guidance to remember that she could do short flights (a Phaerim ability), but once she realized, she quickly flew across with rope that Russel the Fighter carried. Russel could then safely swim across with the dog.

After solving that problem, the two found the location named by their town elder. A sickly dryad was there. She exclaimed that something was hurting her roots, and directed them to a small door and passage leading underground below the dryad's tree. Heading underground, the pair find a small group of giant rats that were gnawing on the dryad's roots. This was happening in the chamber where a magic ring was hidden among thousands of other rings. The battle was difficult, Brownie the dog fell after a few hits; then Jessica the Phaerim fell unconscious too. Russel finally finished off the giant rats, but he was left with a problem... he had only one healing dosage, but 2 wounded to consider. I wondered what he would do (being a 5 year old)... and he decided that he should help his friend before considering the animal. So, Brownie the dog lived a short life. My kids were a little bit sad, but understood that it was only a game and that these sort of things would occur sometimes.

Jessica the phaerim (fairy) cast her detect magic spell (that was her choice from very early on) and quickly found the correct ring among all the others. They headed back to their village where they were rewarded for their bravery. Jessica received a magic hair brush of color, that can change the color of hair brushed with command words (German words for various colors - so she will have to do some research). Russel got a magic water bottle that refills each time the stopper is replaced... minor stuff, but fun.

Very good first adventure... exploring the rules, how things like combat work, what dice to use for various things, and where to look on character sheets for bits of information. What we need to work on is remembering our abilities... and I must work on where to locate different rules within the BFRPG book itself. We go slow, often making my daughter read the rules as we come across stuff to look up.

Head over to the Dark Dungeons website to download your copy of the Rules Compendium (BECMI) clone game, Dark Dungeons. There are also links to Lulu where print copies can be acquired.

The edition is a detailed re-working of the Dungeon & Dragons rules as presented in the various box sets from the eighties (Basic, Expert, Companion, Masters, Immortals). Best part, its free. Even the print edition is presented without any profit or commission for the author. Cheers on that.

I will still utilize my favorite Basic Fantasy Role Playing Game rules, but given the similarities, I will probably use much material from this tome as well. Nice stuff!!!

I took a little time this morning to go over some character creation with my two eldest children. My daughter (7) is really on top of the role-play aspect of the game; not so sure my son (5) understands the separation yet. After choosing characters (Jessica the Phaerim MU and Russel the Faun Fighter), we did a little scenario.

While wandering about their forest village, the pair come across a goblin. The goblin seems OK and offers them a discount to purchase a silver dagger. Jessica and Russel pool their funds to purchase the dagger which neither could purchase by themselves. The goblin departs. The pair hears the town bells going off (calling all to a town meeting), and they head to the community meeting place. The Elven matriarch notifies the inhabitants of the disappearance of two individuals that she sent on an errand to retrieve a magical ring from a sacred place in the forest. Of course our intrepid pair volunteer to investigate. They are given a small map with directions.

Upon heading out of the village, the pair is surprised (by roll) and have to deal with arrows flying in their direction. That pesky goblin 'merchant' is trying to ambush them to steal back the silver dagger in order to resell it again in another village. Lucky bad rolls by the goblin keep him missing (both characters having decent dexterity/AC). Our fairy girl hides in the trees for cover, and Russel the faun starts shooting back with his light crossbow. A few misses, then a strong hit... the goblin is down, gives a last minute monologue about his intent to re-sell the dagger, then passes. My children too it in stride; I guess seeing enough parts of Lord of the Ring makes it OK for Goblins. They retrieve their original funds and make a little silver as well.